Episode One: Insert Clever Title Here
by A Grayer Shade of Gray
Summary: A General PG13 rating, not sure how bad this story'll get. My friends and I are transported from Queen Street to two seperate systems within the Galatic Republic, and one beyond the Outer Rim. Part One.
1. Default Chapter

The problem all started on a routine trip to Toronto, that is if you can count any of our escapades in our provinces's capital routine. We were walking out of the Silver Snail, my own arms full of Jango and Boba Fett merchandise, along with a healthy, or unhealthy, amount of Punisher goods. Tash and Chris had their bags filled with Anime, and some Star Wars. Tash had bought a small Yoda plushie that we all agreed was completely adorable. 

So we're walking down the street and we see this store. It's advertising realistic Star Wars replicas, so I'm thinking I can get my hands on some Mandalore Armour, which of course I'm quite happy with. So we go in, and because it's Queen Street in Toronto, we go down a flight of stairs and end up in a basement. I'm not complaining, since on the wall I see a hull plate from what I knew was Slave I.

I leave Tash and Chris to wander around and go off in search of the shop keep in hopes of procuring myself some Mandalore body armour of my favourite Star Wars characters. I'm walking, and I pass what I think is a very realistic rendition of the Emperor, that is until he speaks! 

"You want the armour of the infamous Jango Fett, do you not?" he said, his voice old and crackling. I'm nodding, not bothering to know how he knew that. I was thinking that maybe he had read the titles off one of the comics I had in a fairly transparent white plastic bag. I put them into my hemp bag and slip my hands into my trench coat's pockets.

"Well yeah," I said, with probably the most idiotic grin on my face. I waved for Tash and Christine to come over and then listen intently to the man.

"Do you see the black curtain beyond the S Foil?" he asked me, to which I nodded. "You will find your armour behind that curtain. Watch out, though, that first step is something, my young one." 

It was the laugh that shook me, a little. He had a very good impression of the Emperor, almost too good, but none the less, I wanted my Mandalore Armour and I was going to walk through that black curtain and get it.

I pull the curtain back and can't see a single bloody thing in the blackness behind it. But still, I keep pushing through and push through the blackness. He was right when he said that first step was a doozey.

Now, I don't know what happened to Tash and Chris, but I know that they were sent into the Star Wars universe too, you'll find out how I know that eventually as our paths cross from time to time. But you'll have to wait for the next installment of "Episode 1: Insert Clever Title Here".


	2. Chapter Two

Okay, we back now? Good. In the first installment of "Episode 1: Insert Clever Title Here", Tash, Christine and I found a psycho Star Wars store that promised realistic replicas. I was tricked into going behind a black curtain and found myself falling, at a rather fast pace. 

From all my time spent reading, watching, writing and role playing Star Wars, not to mention my unhealthy obsession with Jango Fett, I knew where I was. I was on none other than the water planet of Kamino. 

Kamino was a watery planet that had weather that made the worst storms of Southern Ontario seem like little more than a drizzle, so it was little wonder why I liked this place. I was inside, which was fine by me, other than the fact I stood out like a sore thumb for more reasons than the fact I was still in my 21st Century clothing from Earth. I wasn't too badly off in the clothing sector, I guess. I had a plain black tank top and a back shirt over it and my trench coat, worn along with a pair of black cargo pants tucked into my knee high Dr Marten's. My dress fit in well enough, it was the fact that I would be the only human who's genetic code was not originally drawn from the bounty hunter whom I so admired.

I had fallen down into one of the halls, and now I slowly made my way threw them, hoping to find that seemingly pleasant female Kaminoian, Taun We. In the movie she had seemed really nice, possibly she could help me. But of course, we all know that my luck isn't that good.

I'm guessing that for Kamino standards the weather hadn't been too horrible, so the father/son duo of Jango and Boba Fett had gone fishing. They were now returning and I was stuck with no place to run, and less place to hide. 

"Oh crap," I said in my head as I looked around. "Try to blend... Never mind. Think of something clever." Fat chance in that. 

They were coming around the corner when I heard Boba. His voice was muffled, but had the slight slur the movies had prepared me for. I held still and waited, closing my eyes. 

"Dad..." I head Boba say, the draw of blasters was the next sound that I picked up.

"Oh shit," I thought to myself, repeatedly running through the extensive list of all the swears I knew, even a few of the Star Wars ones I had picked up over the years as a devoted fan. "I'm gonna die. I'm too young to..." The mussel pressed against my temple and I opened my eyes, I had to. He was so close, I had to look at him. I only wish I had my camera.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" The quick, slightly gravelly speech of Jango Fett. I wanted to melt right there. I could die now, even though I'd rather not. 

With out moving my head I looked at him from the corner of my eyes, peering back at the man as he pointed the gun quite dominantly at my temple. I couldn't speak, I just looked at him. My attention on Jango was broken as I felt a tug at my side, young Boba was going through my bag. "Hey!" I shouted, feeling rather violated by this action. "Get out of there you little sneak!" I lifted a hand to push him away from me, realizing it was a bad idea even before I felt the cold tile floor against my cheek and the weight of Jango's foot on the back of my neck .

"Don't you dare hit him," he warned in a low growl. If I didn't still have a gun to my head and wasn't in extreme pain, it would have turned me on so badly to hear him talk in that tone. 

"Hey, a girl's bag is a personal thing, you should teach your kid not to snoop..." the pressure on the back of my neck increased as the kid began digging through my bag once more.

"Who are you?" Jango asked me, and of course I just winced as the metal of the blaster pushed against my skull, driving it harder and harder against the tile that lined the hallway. 

I wasn't watching his other foot, but had my attention on the young child as he dug through my bag . Some how, the comics had disappeared. Perhaps it was the fact I was actually in the Star Wars Universe, I thought to myself. Even to this date, that is the only plausible explanation I have come up with. That is, of course, if anything involving being mysteriously transported into the Star Wars Universe is plausible. 

My eyes locked on Boba as he dug around, feeling the ever growing pressure on my neck as he snagged my wallet. "Hey!" I shouted, reaching for it. Big mistake.

As quickly as I had found myself on the floor I found my hand being crushed by the foot that was on my neck. I let out a loud cry of pain, which must have shocked them all because I felt his foot move a little, and I saw the shock in Boba's eyes as I looked back at him. 

No one said anything for a little while, then Boba decided to open my wallet. I resigned my personal affects to the search of the young child, just keeping an eye on him as I remained face down on the floor, my hand no longer under the pressure of Jango's foot, but my head still in his sights. 

"Sue-Zanne Ho-wie?" he read off my license, looking at the crappy photograph that made me look more like a male prison escapee than a young teenaged woman. The boy dutifully handed the license to his father, who examined it and then looked at me.

"Suzanne, Suzie for short," I said, hoping that I could some how get my ass out of this sling.

"On-tar-io?" Jango asked, raising an eyebrow as he was obviously confused.

"Uh... I'm from a planet way beyond the Republic's reach. I'm the first, or well one of three, people I know of who've gone this close to the interior..." By now, I was sure that Tash and Chris had gone in as well, either to look for their own treasures or to save me, but obviously they weren't on Kamino.

"Close? Do you have any idea where you are?" Jango asked. He seemed to be amused by the idea of Kamino being close to the interior.

"Yes... I'm on Kamino. The cloners live here... It's beyond the Outer Rim," I said, slowly sitting up, clearing my throat as I went along. "I was in this weird store on my planet, and then I went through this curtain and I ended up here... I have to find my friends and get home. I know you aren't the guys to ask or anything, but..."

"You're right, we aren't," Jango said, but even as he said it he moved the pistol from it's aim at me and I stood up. He still had my license, and Boba was looking through the contents of my wallet, pulling out my school Ids and bank card. 

"What are these for?" he held them up, almost breaking the bank card in two, but I had managed to snatch it before he did. 

"They get me places on my planet, they let people know who I am if I can't tell them," I said, taking my wallet back too. I put it into my bag and reached for license. 

I had a rather rude response from the older Fett who swatted my hand away, "What does 11/03/1984 mean?" he asked, still examining the front and back of my licence. I was well aware that neither of them could understand the English alphabet, though they seemed to be able to understand the sounds made by the letters.

"It's my birthday," I said, looking down at his blaster. "It means I'm almost 18 by the measure of time we use on my planet." I finished, unsure if they understood. I tentatively reached for it again, to which his response was to pocket it. "Hey, that's mine!" I said, looking at him with narrowed eyes. He wasn't quite as I had dreamed, of course I have a habit of making things more in my favour when I dream.

"Not any more," he said. "Follow me, I'll see what I can do about getting you into the interior. It will be easier to search for your friends there." 


	3. Chapter Three

I took a seat in what I assumed to be the main room of the Kamino quarters that the two Fetts lived in, and watched as Jango disappeared into the back leaving me alone with the slightly menacing 10 year old Boba. Of course, he didn't know that I knew who he, or his father, were, or what would become of them. There were a lot of things the Fetts didn't know about me at this point, but still, back to the story.

The child seemed intent on making sure I didn't do, or see anything, that would bring danger to him or his father. It was easy enough to get him to relax, they don't have chocolate in the Star Wars Universe. 

As he watched me I dug through my bag, pulling out a small package of M&Ms I had purchased earlier that day when we were waiting for the subway at the Kipling Station. I poured a few into my hand and began to eat them, offering them to the small boy, assuming he knew what chocolate was.

"What is it?" he asked, to which I couldn't help but laugh. Children and their innocence, as long as they weren't obnoxious and loud, have always amused me to some degree. I held my hand closer to him.

"It's candy," I said, taking one and eating it. "Chocolate." I offered him the pieces in my hand once more and he took one, examining it throughly before moving his hand up to his mouth and munching on the candy coated chocolate. "Good?" I asked, eating the rest and putting the package away in my bag.

"Sweet," he said, swallowing the chocolate mass that he had chewed. "But I liked it. I want more."

I raised my eyebrow as I looked at the kid. "Sorry, kiddo. They're mine, you can't have any more." He tried to give me puppy eyes, which I honestly wondered where he learned them from. Perhaps he had learned them from Zam over the years, she's probably tried to give them to Jango on several occasions when the boy was around. "Those don't work on me, kid."

"I'm not a kid, I'm Boba Fett and I'm gonna be..." I cut him off.

"Just like your dad, the greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy?" I offered, to which the astonished child just blinked, wide eyed. He seemed rather impressed that I had known that, though inside my head I was reprimanding myself for saying that. You'll give yourself away, I said. 

"Are you a Jedi?" he asked, suddenly wary of me, inching away from my spot on the bench that protruded from the wall. I shook my head and let a little chuckle out. "Then how'd you know?"

"Lucky guess," I said with a smirk, looking at him as I pushed my hair back from my face. "Your father's name gets around a lot , and who wouldn't think his son would want to be anything than just like his father." Good save, I congratulated myself but the good mood didn't last long as I saw Jango return from where ever he was before.

"You wouldn't believe the holo I just got," he said, looking at me with those calm, deep brown eyes. Oh God, I wanted him. "Apparently there's a bounty out on you... Miss Howie." I swallowed and stood up, looking at the door, then to Jango. I couldn't make it, I'd get shot.

"Let me explain..." I said, trying to at least come up with a more plausible excuse than I was from a completely different reality where the galaxy that they lived in was little more than a movie phenomenon that had over come many lives, including my own, and that I had been transported here by some strange person who looked like the Emperor.

"You can explain on the way to Coruscant. You have a meeting with Chancellor Palpatine," he said. The words shook me, chilled my very soul. 

Chancellor Palpatine was the man who would become Emperor eventually, he was the man who had directed me to the curtain. He was the one who brought me here. Oh well, I thought to myself, at least I'll find out why I'm here...


	4. Chapter Four

Okay, so now we find out that Chancellor Palpatine, the man who will become Emperor in the near future, has brought my friends and I to the Star Wars Universe and he plans on making use of us. At this point in the story I'm sitting with binders on my wrists, looking out the cockpit view to see the rainy skies of Kamino while Boba and Jango make the last preparations for take off as the Senior Fett has been hired to turn me in to the Chancellor.

"So," I said, trying to dely my misfortune as much as possible. "How much am I worth?" I was curious to know, as would any one, I'm assuming. It's nice to be wanted, it's also nice to know your worth to others, especially extremely powerful Sith Lords, though I'm sure Tash, Chris and I were the only ones who really knew he was a Sith Lord.

"Not much," Jango said as he strapped himself in, putting on a set of head gear that resembled something like a scrum cap. I couldn't help but laugh and snicker from my seat, that was until Jango shot me a harsh glare. "And he did say dead or alive..."

I swallowed hard and shut my mouth, obviously not in the mood to push my luck with the bounty hunter. I knew he'd kill me just to see how it would be, and knowing myself I knew I could put up some resistance, but nothing that edged near to the abilities of the bounty hunter. I was smart enough not to press much luck, not yet at least.

The take off went off with out a hitch, so I guess since we all survived and nothing was broken, other than the injuries sustained to my pride earlier on. I sat impatiently, as well, we all know that I'm not one to sit and do nothing, for the first ten minutes of the trip, keeping my eyes on Jango and Boba, who had now finished off my M&Ms as his father had let him play with my bag and it's contents as my privacy seemed to no longer matter. I was just happy that it wasn't "one of those weeks", or else little Boba would have gotten some educating, as probably would Fett Senior, as I doubt he's ever dealt with "those things" either. 

"So," I had gathered up my courage to speak and now looked over the two. I saw the sharp glare that Jango darted in my direction as Boba looked up from one of my Punisher comics which, as it would appear, hadn't disappeared. "How much longer do you think it'll be? I'd prefer not to wait for my untimely end..." I was silenced, quite rudely I might add, by Jango's blaster pistol pointed right between my eyes.

I made eye contact with him for a moment, then to Boba who sat in an apprehensive pose, his shoulders stooped but eyes wide. I don't think he had ever seen someone look at him when it was his father who held the pistol that threatened their lives, but then again, the kid had never eaten chocolate up to this point either so, what can I say?

Jango eventually put the blaster pistol away and returned his attention to the controls. "It shouldn't take too long. Half a day, perhaps more," he said, not returning any glances as I kept my eye contact with Boba. I gave him a playful smirk and a wink. 

I think I confused him, but my point was made when the binders fell in my lap and I undid my restraints under my own power. Another wink and smirk, to which the young boy was confused. I raised a finger and made the "Shh..." gesture, telling him to be quiet. Of course, he didn't listen .

"Hey Dad, look," he pointed at me and my newly unshackled hands as I looked at the bounty hunter and child who just peered back at me. This time, luckily, there were no blaster pistols being drawn, no threats made on my life and I didn't have to worry about dropping a load into my pants, which were all positive things.

The pair just looked at me, rather confused. The locks on the binders were easy enough to pick, easier than my house lock, that is. I guess they hadn't noticed the small set I carried in my coat, just some thing that happened to be there.

Slowly, I placed the shackles on the ground in front of me, reached up behind my head and scratched the back of my head near the elastic of my pony tail, before removing the small, white band and proceeding to braid my hair. I didn't even bother looking at them any more as I did this. As long as they knew that what ever happened I was going along with them now with out a fight, I was content.

The tension that was in the air had disappeared and so had the seeming aggression that the two harboured, unwarranted, towards your's truly. 

A couple of times Boba asked me something about the Punisher, which I answered easily, being the weird and strange girl I am. I also managed to retrieve my sketch pad and a pen from my bag. I contented myself to doodling for most of the trip to Coursant, only piping up to ask where the bathroom was, then to explain what a bathroom was.

Next part: Sleep with the Fetts, am I the only one turned on by that idea? 


	5. Chapter Five

So in the last part of the story I boarded Slave I with Boba and Jango, broke out of a pair of binders who's locking mechanism is simular to the locks I use on my luggage, (which is why I knew how to pick them. I don't think I have to tell you how many times I've locked my keys for my luggage in the cases) and proved to the two that I was not going to cause any raucous. 

For most of the trip I sat and quietly doodled, mainly the sketches of the helmet less Senior Fett. Yes, I had a fair sized crush on him and I wasn't going to give up a chance to get a few sketches in while I had the live model right there. I drew until I started to feel sleepy, then I decided to inquire about somewhere I could sleep.

"There's a sleeping pallet in the back," Jango said, not moving from his spot at the controls as I put my pen and sketch pad away. I was starting to think he knew I was drawing him for the most part. There were a few little doodles of Boba, but the pages I had filled were, for the most part, him. I didn't think he appreciated it too much either.

"I'll show you," Boba said, slipping down from his co-pilot's seat. He drew an interesting look from his father as I observed. I stood up and followed the young boy as he led me back into the aft of the ship. He was a cute kid, he'd be handsome once puberty started to kick in, exactly like his father, which made sense since in a way they were the same person. 

When we were out of his father's sights, the young ten year old boy reached for my hand, leading me around as if he was afraid I would get lost. I went with it, since it really didn't bother me all that much. After years of working with kids, even though I developed a dislike for them, I still had a temperament when I was around them that seemed to draw the strange ones. 

I watched as Boba opened a few doors for me and then we were there. It was bland, messy and rather unsorted, and it smelled undeniably male. "The sleeping pallet's there, if you need an extra blanket or something I can get you one..." he offered.

A good kid, I said to myself as I smiled warmly down on the child. "Thank you, but I think I'll be fine. It's not that cold in here," I said taking a seat on the edge of the low to the ground bed, smiling as Boba stood there and watched me. I drew my eyebrows together, looking at the young boy as he watched me. "Are you okay?" I asked, taking his small hand with mine now, tugging him over to me with a gentle pull. Working with children wasn't a favoured task of mine, but Boba was in no way a "normal" child, I knew that from watching movies and reading about his escapades.

"Yeah... I guess so," he said, reluctantly letting himself be pulled to me. "Why do you think my dad is bringing you to Coursant?" He took a seat beside me on the low raised platform, looking up at me.

"Um...Well," I started. What could I say to a ten year old? Because the man in charge of the galaxy wants to kill me? I didn't even know if that was the truth. "Obviously Chancellor Palpatine needs to see me for some reason. I'm hoping that he's sent simular bounties for the return of my friends to Coursant as well, in a living state, of course." It seemed like a good answer.

"Aren't you afraid?" he asked me. He had large, dark brown eyes. They were very puppy dog-ish as he looked up at me now. 

"A little. I don't want to see my friends getting hurt," I said, an even tone in my voice. I was careful to keep my voice gentle. I wasn't going to show him all my cards yet, even if I was tired and I was attracted to his father, and subsequently, the man he would become. "But I came back here to go to sleep..." I danced around the subject that I really did want to rest.

"Oh, alright," he said, a little put off. I don't think he really wanted to go. 

"If you want you can stay, but I really do need to get some sleep..." I said with a smile, taking my coat off. I had no tattoos, and I was, as per usual, pale white as the snow on Hoth. I think that was what intrigued Boba because I soon felt a warm hand on my shoulder. Blinking, I turned to see Boba's small hand. 

"You're really pale, and cold," he said to me as I nodded. I was considerably paler than him and his father who were both naturally darker skinned and tanned, making them look kind of Asian, or even Latino, in my eyes.

"I have a condition where I don't react well with UV rays," I said, bending over my knees to undo the 20 eye boots. "And I have poor circulation which makes my skin cold to touch." I finished, tugging off the first boot and setting to work on the second a little grudgingly as I was fairly tired.

By the time I was finished I was ready to just fall over dead, and crawling up the length of the sleeping pallet took the rest of the energy I had and I crashed. I remember vaguely that Boba pulled the blankets up around me and I could feel the mattress being weighted down in a corner, so I knew he was still sitting there, but it didn't really bother me. I almost felt safer. Jango wouldn't try to kill me with his son watching, would he? 

Okay, yeah, he would. I just wanted to get some sleep, so that's what I did, even with the little kid sitting next to me. 


	6. Chapter Six

I woke up a couple hours later, being poked by some one, or something. I knew it wasn't Boba, since his hands were smaller. I rolled on to my back, as I was on my side, I have a tendency to roll around in my sleep, and groggily open my eyes. What I see is a rather fuzzy, since I had taken my glasses off to sleep, Jango Fett leaning over me, shaking my shoulder. 

Oh crap, I thought to myself. He's gonna kill me... I watched him, wondering when it was going to happen, but then I happened to notice, to my own luck and somewhat surprise, he didn't have his blaster pulled. He also wasn't wearing his helmet, which I found was a little odd, but reassuring as he wasn't going to be looking at me with his helmet off if he planned on doing anything to me, or at least so I hoped.

"We're almost there," he said, his hand on my shoulder as he looked at me. "Come on, you've gotta put the binders back on," he said, holding them up in my face as I watched him. 

I was groggily sitting up as I looked at him, nodding and rubbing my eyes as I yawned, feeling the cold, hard metal wrap around my wrist. "Can you hand me my glasses...?" I asked, having them placed on my eyes from behind. I turned my neck, my hands immobile as Jango secured the binders, seeing Boba kneeling behind me on the bed. "Thanks," I said, smiling at him.

I leaned against the kid, he was growing on me. He was playing with my hair, which I didn't really mind, which was weird, because normally I hated having my hair touched. He was braiding it or something, I couldn't see. I smiled and looked at Jango as my hands were tied. 

"Um, genius, I don't have my boots on, and with my hands bound, how'm I gonna get them done up?" I asked him. 

He looked at me, not liking the sarcasm in my voice but too bad for him. "Fine... I'll do them," it was a grudging tone, I don't think he was all too happy with me right now, but it was his own damned fault. If he had woken me and let me get ready myself, it would have been easier.

By the time Jango had finished with my boots, I realized what Boba had been doing. He had taken a piece of my hair and used it to tie back the rest of it, so it wasn't in my face any more. Jango went up front and left the two of us for a little to follow after him and I thanked the young child, putting a hand on his head. "Thanks, kiddo..." I picked up my coat and headed to the cockpit, Boba in tow.

He was a cute kid, I found myself thinking once more and I smiled back at him. My hands were in front of me, other wise I would have patted his head. I took my seat and Boba did up my restraints, asking if I was comfortable. I told him I was and he took his place up beside his father. 

Taking in a big breath, I calmed myself. This would be interesting. My first, or second as it would be, meeting with the Chancellor who would forever change the universe for these two whom with I flew, and who, ultimately, held the key for my friends and I to get back to our own place in time, and reality.

We made our final approach onto Coruscant and I closed my eyes, wondering what would happen to me, what would happen to my friends whom I loved so dearly.


	7. Chpater Seven

You're never really alone in a place like Coruscant. It's a big city. Bigger than New York, or Toronto, or even Montreal. Well it should be, it's the size of the entire planet. It's also the capital of the Galactic Republic, and with that, the hub of all political unrest and the centre for upheaval. 

Other than that, it was a nice place. It was cleaner, on some levels, than Toronto, and had more culture than any of the three cities I mentioned could dream of. And as I disembarked from Slave I, I got the feeling that thousands of eyes were on me, waiting to see what I would do. Perhaps it was the fact that I was a living prisoner of the notorious Jango Fett that made me a novelty. 

I trailed just behind them, looking up at the back of Jango's helmeted head. Boba was at my right and Jango to the left, half a step in front of me. I just walked along, feeling safer with the two Fetts than I would have on my own, which made me wonder about the safety of my friends, and though I couldn't deny the excitement I felt knowing I'd see them again soon, I was unsure if my friends would be brought back with as much care and consideration as I was.

I let my head hang down a little as I walked, which might have worried Boba had ritual permitted him to look back at me as I lingered behind them. We moved into a private passage way and they stopped and Boba undid the binders, and I smiled at him. 

A voice came from down the hall and a gaggle of strange looking men started rushing towards us. I went down onto my knees, grabbing Boba as Jango pushed him towards me. I held the boy close to my chest and faced the corner, pinning Boba against my body and the wall before burying my face under my arm.

A fire fight ensued behind me as I turned my head, looking at the magnificent fighting techniques of the bounty hunter Jango Fett. He was more attractive like this than I had imagined. I found myself drawn to the conclusive thought, "Jango, take me now. Blind fold your kid and let's go," while holding said child close to my chest as he watched his father too.

A large wookie like creature was approaching Jango from the rear, and from what I saw, he didn't seem to notice. 

"That hair ball's gonna get my dad," Boba said into my ear, moving what I thought I was thinking. 

"Don't worry," I said in a whisper as I let Boba go. "Just stay here and be quiet, please?" I asked him, smiling and giving him a light hug. 

The creature was almost at Jango by the time I was on my feet and charging towards him with all my rugby strength and force I could muster. I made a swift hit, knocking him in the side where, on a human, it would be his kidneys. I made the contact harshly as I hit him, causing him to let out a roar of either shock or pain, or possibly both, as we both fell harshly to the ground. 

Jango had dealt with the three who had been taking his attention away from the hairy beast whom now I sat on, struggling with what minimal upper body strength I had to keep some form of control. Luckily, I had enough lower body strength to hold him off for now.

A smouldering hole burned its way through the skull and face of the beast between my legs as I made a yelp and jumped back. I felt the cold hand of Jango close around my upper arm, hauling me forcefully, with a little sacrifice to my own comfort, off the man. I yelped as he pinched my skin pulling so hard. 

"Hey, hey, hey..." I started to protest but I felt my back slam harshly into the wall. I whimpered as his other hand held the blaster beneath the chin. I looked at him with a worried look in my eyes as I felt the push between us. Boba was trying to work his way between his angry father and the hapless me, with no avail. 

Jango removed him from the fray with his leg, nearly knocking the young child over. I looked down on the young boy as he fell backwards, stumbling a few steps before I reached a hand out, snatching his hand as he flailed his arms around. "You could have got yourself killed," Jango snarled, looking at me through the chilling T shaped visor. "Or even worse, you could have left them open to hurt my son." That was the one he was more worried about. I had a hard time thinking that he was worried about me, but it was easier to assume that he was worried with his son.

"Dad," Boba said as I kept trying to shrink further into the wall. "Dad, she did it because that alien was going to kill you." 

"Look," I said, trying to reason with the father who was currently blinded by his own rage, at his self for not foreseeing this, and at me for releasing my post of protecting his son. "I only did it because if that thing killed you Boba would have no one left." It was true. We all knew, even if I could take care of Boba here, I would have to go home. I have a family of my own in my own reality.

That seemed to satisfy him, enough that he released his grip on my neck and holstered the blaster pistol. He knelt down on one knee and took his son into his arms, with the strange girl from another world, myself, watching over the two with a gentle smile. Boba smiled up at me from his father's shoulder and I smiled back. 

Cute kid...


	8. Chapter Eight

"TASH! CHRIS!" my voice rose over the din as I saw them both sitting, quite well, healthy and dressed in typical Star Wars style. I ran over to them, wrapping my tired, and slightly bruised thanks to the man handling from Jango, arms around them. I couldn't help it. I knew Tash didn't like being hugged, but it was too bad, I was worried about them and to see them alive and well, well, it meant the world to me.

Jango and Boba watched this from the spot just by the door as I hugged my friends, repeatedly, spilling words out of my mouth at a mile a minute. "Oh man, guys. I missed you guys so much," was the bare bones of what I said.

My head snapped up as a pair of red guards broke our reunion. "Hey!" I started to argue as Jango and Boba, despite the fact that the young boy was only ten years old, took a step forward as Chris and Tash both leapt to their feet. "Put me down you fascist freaks," I squirmed as I tried to regain control of my body.

"Silence, my young child," an elderly man, with a shaky but still dominating voice said. His voice silenced my protests and the guards allowed me to stand upon my own power as I waited for the next part, knowing that there would be more. 

The man appeared from a down with two young women, a little older than Tash, who was the eldest of us three, in tow. "I do hope that Mister Fett was not too rough on you, my dear Suzanne... Oh, what a pity, I can see that nasty bruise," he said to me, shaking his head. "You do need to be more gentle," he said in a rather patronizing tone. 

I thought for sure that Jango would have something to say, but I guess the Emperor was paying him enough that he kept his mouth shut and took the menial verbal abuse with stride. 

"My dear, if you would please," he gestured towards the two young women at his side now. "If you would, go with these two. Your clothing is much too... Inappropriate for the Galactic Senate." He had a point.

I looked at my friends and headed towards the two. I assumed it was those who had dressed, and done the hair of, my friends. I had to admit, if I were to let any strangers do my hair, make-up and to dress me, these two seemed to be rather appropriate. I went with them and smiled, though they didn't do anything but keep their heads down, not looking into my eyes, or even raising their heads. It reminded me of "The Handmaid's Tale" in a way.

The three of us, the full covered "Handmaids", as I would call them, and the exposed arms and partial chest, not to mention pant and boot wearing me, disappeared into the room where the Emperor had come out of, presumably to get into more "appropriate" wear for my new situation in the hub of the Galactic Republic, which I would refer to as the Empire to Tash and Christine in confidence. 


	9. Chapter Nine

The two women, I had to admit, were good at picking out styles and colours for me, just as they had been for my friends. First, I'll tell you how they dressed Christine and Tash.

Chris wore a green, Kimono styled gown, her hair plated and brought back away from her face. Her made up was simple and had a slight green shimmer to it, which I thought was tasteful, as were the white, to go with the sash around her waist, flowers they had put in her hair.

With Tash, the two had used a fiery red coloured dress, it was simple, and it reminded me a lot of Mediaeval dresses. It was long sleeved, and the cuffs were angel style, which means they came out, like bell bottoms, only on shirt sleeves. Her hair, which is as long as mine and very curly was taken out of her braid and then re-braided with chords of red that matched her dress and gold. Her make-up was as simple as Christine's, but with more gold shimmer on her cheeks and red on her eyes and lips.

With me, and my masses of black loving, eyeliner wearing, long haired Suzie-ness, as it was referred to with loving nature, they did wonders, actually. My hair, well, remember Princess Leia's hair at the end of Episode Four? When she was giving out the medals? Well, it wasn't like that at all. They took pieces of my hair from either temple, braided them with silver thread and left the rest lose, simply brushing it out. I go for a darker look with make-up, and I told them that, which elicited a heavier application. My eyelids were dusted with silver, then several shades of gray, slowly fading to black, with heavy black eyeliner and mascara. My lips were dark blue, which matched the soft feeling fabric of my dress.

As for the dress itself, it was dark blue, which shimmered into a brilliant blue in the light, but reflected black in the shadows. It had a square, and very low, I might add, neck line that left most of my collar bone and cleavage exposed. The sleeves came all the way down to my hands, where they reached down to touch my middle finger. Small treaded hoops slipped over my fingers almost as if they were gloves. It was fitted like that until the waist, where it flared out a little, with taffeta, or the Star Wars equivalent of it, held the beautiful dress out. The bodice of the dress was done in a rear corset style, and the strands of silver thread hung down. 

I felt like a princess, and like I defiantly belonged in the elaborate world of Star Wars in the dress. If only I could snap a picture, this would be the perfect look for formal, I was sure of it. I would have to remember the way the dress looked and felt, I remembered thinking to myself, so Christine, my seamstress cousin Sara and I could make out a pattern and I could wear a dress like this for formal.

There was one thing, how ever, that struck me as odd. The two young women never looked me in the eye, they never spoke a word to me. I had told them the styles I was used to and gone on what little information I had given them. 

They were creepy, in a way. 

Their silence, their no eye contact, it was chilling and I was happy when they were finished. Not only did they seem pleased, one of them almost smiled as she helped me off the small pedestal they had me standing on so they could work out the finer points of fitting the dress to my body type.


	10. Chapter Ten

When I walked back into the main room, I felt like royalty, just as sure as Christine and Tash had, and the shocked look on Boba's face, and that of his unhelmeted father, said it all. The young boy smiled ear to ear at me and, if once more, ritual prevented it, I'm sure he would have ran up to hug me. 

I took a seat beside Christine at the large table, my eyes on the Emperor, the two red guards who flanked him and the two young girls who sat demurely on cushions behind them. 

"Now that the three of you are here," he said, his voice calm as he spoke. All three of us knew who he'd become, and it was a wonder why we were so calm. Only latter would we find that we were under the control of the Dark Side of the Force. 

He explained his situation, how he needed our help to ensure that the Republic would stay together. He knew that on our planet we knew what would happen, and he had brought us here, referring to us to those who asked as "The Fates". I found that one ironic, since we were known as the "Weird Sisters", which was a blatant reference to the mythical women made by Shakespear in the 1800s. 

He had told the Senate that the Jedi were no longer competent, that they could no longer use the Force, but he knew three young women with whom the Force was strong. They were known as the Fates, and their planet of origin was from far beyond the Outer Rim. We wee to attend the Senate Seating that would start tomorrow around mid-day and make the point for the Republic Army. We were to argue that with out the aid of the army, a rebellion that was growing larger with each passing hour, would threaten the safety of the planets within the Republic. 

We all nodded, agreeing fully with the powerful Sith Lord, unwittingly duped at the time, but at least we were back together. The guards would show us to our quarters until it was time for us to make our grand announcement to the senate. 

A side note, before we go for another break. The hold that the Sith Lord had on us only affect us in the manner that we would listen to what he said in the matter of speaking in front of the Senate. We still had our own free will and thought for ourselves on other topics, such as what we were going to have for dinner that night, which was a story with in itself.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Our rooms were as lavish as we could imagine. 

There was a fountain, a balcony that looked over the western side of the city, showing us the sun set, and another that looked over the east, which showed the sun rise, a fire place that was just spectacular. There were three sleeping quarters, each seemed tailor made for each of us. Tash's was demure, very tastefully decorated with paintings of Alderaan, Coruscant and Naboo instead of windows and her bag, which had her piccolo and flute, Christine had the room with the East facing balcony, a painting easel and paints with brushes, and mine, finally, had the West facing view, with the fountain found at the other end of my beautiful space for my self. 

The colour schemes that were used in our clothing were used in the rooms as well; Chris' green and white, Tash's gold and crimson and mine was black and blue. We also found that were three gowns, coats, capes and cloaks, a tunic and trousers, and our own clothing in the closets.

The only down side seemed to be that it was something you wouldn't prepare for guests who were only staying for a day or two. This was the set up of a long term apartment for my friends and I, and as much as it was thrilling, it was true we would miss our homes, our families, and our friends outside the "Weird Sisters" circle, but there was little we could do about that right now.

I was the one who answered the door, which was appropriate as the callers were for me. Almost knocking me backwards as I answered the door, the young Boba smiled up at me and hugged my waist, since he could reach no higher. I put a hand on his head and smiled. "Hey kiddo," I said with a laugh.

"I'm not a kid," he quipped, looking up at me with a look of hurt pride, those big, brown eyes just looking at me so softly. 

"Sorry," I said, still smiling. 

He let me go and Jango held a hand out to me, which I took. We shook hands, his grip was firm, and cold from the metal of his gloves in some places. "We're heading back to Kamino," he said, to which Boba nodded enthusiastically. I don't think Boba was enjoying the city planet too much. "I hope that your knowledge serves you well, Suzanne," he said. Very polite, very correct, but still not wearing his helmet.

Nodding my thanks to him, I smiled. "Thank you, Jango, for your best wishes," I said, thinking that the most polite, correct thing to say at the moment. Our conversation fell silent, if it could be called a conversation, and it was the young boy who brought it back alive. 

"Here's your bag," he offered, taking it off his shoulder, where it hung almost to the floor, holding it up to me. I smiled and took it, kneeling down to look the child eye to eye, with one hand taking the strap of the bag and the other resting on his shoulder. 

He came towards me, hugging me around my neck as I did this. "What's wrong?" I whispered to him, quiet enough that the helmet less father could not hear, since the sensors that allowed his hearing to increase were in the Mandalore helmet.

"I want you to come with us..." Boba admitted against my ear as I rubbed his small back. He tightened his arms around my shoulders and neck, pulling harder. "It's so lonely when Dad's gone," he admitted softly. 

My heart broke. Right there in the small hallway that would lead off into our apartment, with Boba and I hugging in front of his father. I felt like the air had been knocked from me. I closed my eyes and let my heart talk. "I wish I could too, I get lonely sometimes too. My friends are very intelligent, and sometimes I can't keep up with them when they talk about science or math," I told him, my voice sympathetic to his small voice. 

"But you know what..." I said letting him go and digging through my bag. I found it, the dragon necklace that I had bought when I was in Florida on a band trip. "Here... Keep this, and when ever you're lonely, just hold it to your heart and think of the people you care about."

The boy took it quickly and smiled, once more making my heart feel good. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to be stuck here, after all, I had already made a friend other than the two I had come with. 

Standing, I pushed my bag away and looked at Jango. "Take care of yourself," I said, giving him his own hug, which he reluctantly accepted with one arm, since the other was holding his helmet. "And be careful. You're all he has in the world," I said quietly in his ear.

"He has you," he responded before letting me go and taking Boba back down the hall.

With the good byes made to the Fetts I returned to the apartments main room, picking up in the middle of a conversation that they were having about trying to get home.

"Su-chan, are you okay?" Christine asked, honestly concerned about my lack of colour, which was more significant than usual. Tash was worried as well and leaned forward. 

I felt both their eyes on me and I nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine... But we have to leave before the Clone Wars start... If we don't leave before Jango dies... You'll have to leave without me..."

"Why ?" Tash asked, honestly confused. I don't blame her, I was confused about the situation myself and I was right in the middle of it and knew all the facts.

"Because... I think Boba thinks I'm his mom..." 


	12. Chapter Twelve

"The Senate would like to recognize the Fates from Beyond the Outer Rim to speak," the chair man, an alien with blue tinged skin and yellow horns coming from his head, said. 

The words shook me as if I had been hit by a bolt of lightning. The Senate, a gathering of people and aliens from across the galaxy, would be listening to our voices, and what we had to say, not knowing that we were not speaking our true minds on the subject, rather the Dark Lord's opinion on what might better his position of power in the Senate. The thought was thrilling to me as I stood beside Tash.

We had decided among ourselves that we would allow Tash to do the speaking, and that Christine and I would just stand there and look as tough as we could. I stood straight, as did Christine, and we gave the air of a pair of guardians for our friend. 

"We believe, beyond the powers of the Jedi and the reasoning of the highest political minds in the galaxy, that without the formation of an army to protect the innocent citizens of the Republic, many innocent lives will become lost in the fray of political battle that has over come the Senate," Tash began. 

She was doing well, I thought, but I wasn't thinking about the way she was swaying the Senators from various star systems, but the fact that we were floating easily one hundred feet from the ground and Tash was having no problems with the heights. I would later find that, this phenomenon too, was work of the Sith.

"Senators," she continued, her voice carrying through the amphitheatre styled chamber. "I implore you to think this through. It is the fate of the Republic and the safety of the systems from which you hail that is resting in your hands," she went on, making a grand gesture to encompass the room of diplomats and senators. "The creation of an army for the Republic would increase the chances for peace, rather than create conflict. The Jedi, whom were the peace keepers of the past, can no longer keep up with the growing threats against the Republic. 

"The actions that we take today will influence the lives of our children for years to come, and it is in your hands," another grand gesture. "I trust that you will not let us down, nor will you let down the Republic, nor the people for whom you represent. You are the chosen, and the power is in your hands.

"As one of the three Fates, I can see the problems that will arise if the Republic is allowed to crumble after it's millennia long reign. The anarchy that will ensue will cost the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of systems worth of people.

"I am sure that when the time to vote is nigh, you will make the right decision for the Republic and for the people who have placed their hopes and faith in it."

I had to admit, though, when looking back on it, the speech was incredibly well delivered, the Emperor did a good job on it.

As the crowds ate up the bull shit that the Emperor had forced Tash to say, we were given our leave and the floaty thing we were standing on headed towards one of the exits. There would be no questions for us, not today, not any day. As it would seem, we were the undisputed law, and we were controlled by Palpatine. 

We disembarked from the floating machine and headed back to our apartment.

"I wonder if they'll start the Clone Wars sooner now... I'm really afraid for Boba," I mentioned in passing as we walked the slow, meandering procession to our room.

"Of course you're only worried for him," Christine said with a knowing wink and a nudge in the ribs. It was no secret that I had a very large, and still strong, crush on the elder Fett, Jango, but I wasn't as worried, to be honest, for him. His death was his own mistake, to take on a Jedi like that, it wasn't smart. Boba, on the other hand, lost his only family member, the only person he ever knew of his own species; he had my sympathy and compassion.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

That night I slept a restless sleep in the calming room, well calming other than the running water from the fountain caused me to get up several times in the sleepless night to use the bathroom. I laid back in the soft comfort of my sheets and comforters, wondering how Boba was doing. Was he back on Kamino? When would Jango start his attempts on the Senator's life via Zam Wessel? It was a lot to think about and eventually I fell asleep, though it didn't last too long.

Early that morning I was awoken by a frantic Tash and Christine, shaking my shoulders as I fought for what little sleep I had been able to get.

"Sue-chan, wake up," Chris said, her face worried as I opened my eyes grudgingly and rubbed away the sleep. 

"Amidala's ship has been atta..." They didn't have to finish and I was out of my bed and flying to get dressed, finding nothing but regal robes and gowns. 

"Damn it," I muttered, searching through my room for my clothes, getting dressed as hastily as I could. I had to find that meeting place from the movie. I could remember the sign still, I knew I could get there and stop this entire thing, but then it dawned on me, thanks to Tash.

"Where are you going? You can't do anything, you'll change their history," she said putting a hand on my shoulder as I shrugged on my trench coat. Her words made sense, I couldn't be sure that by saving Jango from his fate that he wouldn't die another way, or that Boba would become the bounty hunter that he did. 

This weighted on me heavily as I slumped into a large chair in the corner of my room, boots unlaced and an air of restless defeat around me. Despite this sense hanging in the air around me, I was the first to my feet when the buzzer rang at the door and the first there.

Opening the door I looked around, finding nothing but a small note attached to the door. I pulled it away from the door and shut it, reading the cryptic and foreign letters, which was less than easy. "You may know the fate of the systems," I read aloud, slowly sounding out each word, trying my hardest and still turning up blanks every so often. "But your faith... no, fate. But your fate is not in your hands." I looked at Tash and Chris, blinking with them in confusion. I didn't mention the JF at the end of the note, figuring that they didn't need to know who the note came from.

"Who would leave us a note like that?" Tash begged to know as I shook my head and shrugged. 

"Maybe it's a disgruntled senator, or someone who wants droids over clones," Christine offered but I shook my head.

"It doesn't matter who would leave us a note like this, more why," I mentioned the key word, "why". "It's a warning, right? So who ever left this is trying to help us, so we can leave it at that, but why would they want to? More so, how would they know something we don't know...?"

"Maybe," Chris said, her words shocking me. "It was Boba, or Jango?" she offered. How did she know?

"It couldn't be," I insisted. "They should be back at Kamino by now..."I talked in a measured tone as a small device started to blink and we looked to Tash, we being Christine and myself. 

"Uh..." was the consensus as Tash started pushing buttons. Tash was the resident computer expert, though even with that, I don't think that the computers here operate on any system any of us are familiar with. Still, as we've found with most fighting games, pushing random buttons eventually works as a small, holographic image of the Chancellor popped up.

"My young girls," he said in a grave voice as we crowded around to see his small projected self, forgetting that we were being recorded as well. "I am afraid that a terrible thing has happened. There has been..."

"An attempt on Senator Amidala..." I finished before shaking my head. "I have to go," were my parting words as I left my two friends, pulling my coat and bag out of a chair and taking one of three small, "just in case" blasters that had been issued to us by Senate Security. I heard the two girls and the image of the Senator protest as I ran out of the room, but I didn't listen.

"Damn you, Jango," I cursed in my head as I ran down the corridors, putting the blaster into a holster that hung now off my side. In the turbo lift down I sighed and rubbed my eyes. This couldn't be happening.


End file.
